the dwelling place of ligh-第2章

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vengeance　was　about；　life　was　a　trap　into　which　all　mortals　walked　sooner　or
later；　and　her　particular　trap　had　a　treadmill；a　round　of　household　duties
she　kept　whirling　with　an　energy　that　might　have　made　their　fortunes　if　she　had
been　the　head　of　the　family。　　It　is　bad　to　be　a　fatalist　unless　one　has　an
incontrovertible　belief　in　one's　destiny；which　Hannah　had　not。　　But　she　kept
the　little　flat　with　its　worn　furniture；which　had　known　so　many　journeysas
clean　as　a　merchant　ship　of　old　Salem；　and　when　it　was　scoured　and　dusted　to
her　satisfaction　she　would　sally　forth　to　Bonnaccossi's　grocery　and　provision
store　on　the　corner　to　do　her　bargaining　in　competition　with　the　Italian
housewives　of　the　neighborhood。　　She　was　wont；　indeed；　to　pause　outside　for　a
moment；　her　quick　eye　encompassing　the　coloured　prints　of　red　and　yellow
jellies　cast　in　rounded　moulds；　decked　with　slices　of　orange；　the　gaudy　boxes
of　cereals　and　buckwheat　flour；　the　〃Brookfield〃　eggs　in　packages。
Significant；　this　modern　package　system；　of　an　era　of　flats　with　little　storage
space。　　She　took　in　at　a　glance　the　blue　lettered　placard　announcing　the
current　price　of　butterine；　and　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　store；
on　Holmes　Street；　where　the　beef　and　bacon　hung；　where　the　sidewalk　stands　were
filled；　in　the　autumn；　with　cranberries；　apples；　cabbages；　and　spinach。

With　little　outer　complaint　she　had　adapted　herself　to　the　constantly　lowering
levels　to　which　her　husband　had　dropped；　and　if　she　hoped　that　in　Fillmore
Street　they　had　reached　bottom；　she　did　not　say　so。　　Her　unbetrayed　regret　was
for　the　loss　of　what　she　would　have　called　〃respectability〃；　and　the　giving　up；
long　ago；　in　the　little　city　which　had　been　their　home；　of　the　servant　girl　had
been　the　first　wrench。　　Until　they　came　to　Hampton　they　had　always　lived　in
houses；　and　her　adaptation　to　a　flat　had　been　harda　flat　without　a　parlour。
Hannah　Bumpus　regarded　a　parlour　as　necessary　to　a　respectable　family　as　a
wedding　ring　to　a　virtuous　woman。　　Janet　and　Lise　would　be　growing　up；　there
would　be　young　men；　and　no　place　to　see　them　save　the　sidewalks。　　The　fear　that
haunted　her　came　true；　and　she　never　was　reconciled。　　The　two　girls　went　to　the
public　schools；　and　afterwards；　inevitably；　to　work；　and　it　seemed　to　be　a　part
of　her　punishment　for　the　sins　of　her　forefathers　that　she　had　no　more　control
over　them　than　if　they　had　been　boarders；　while　she　looked　on　helplessly；　they
did　what　they　pleased；　Janet；　whom　she　never　understood；　was　almost　as　much　a
source　of　apprehension　as　Lise；　who　became　part　and　parcel　of　all　Hannah　deemed
reprehensible　in　this　new　America　which　she　refused　to　recognize　and
acknowledge　as　her　own　country。

To　send　them　through　the　public　schools　had　been　a　struggle。　　Hannah　used　to
lie　awake　nights　wondering　what　would　happen　if　Edward　became　sick。　　It　worried
her　that　they　never　saved　any　money：　try　as　she　would　to　cut　the　expenses　down；
there　was　a　limit　of　decency；　New　England　thrift；　hitherto　justly　celebrated；
was　put　to　shame　by　that　which　the　foreigners　displayed；　and　which　would　have
delighted　the　souls　of　gentlemen　of　the　Manchester　school。　　Every　once　in　a
while　there　rose　up　before　her　fabulous　instances　of　this　thrift；　of　Italians
and　Jews　who；　ignorant　emigrants；　had　entered　the　mills　only　a　few　years　before
they；　the　Bumpuses；　had　come　to　Hampton；　and　were　now　independent　property
owners。　　Still　rankling　in　Hannah's　memory　was　a　day　when　Lise　had　returned
from　school；　dark　and　mutinous；　with　a　tale　of　such　a　family。　　One　of　the
younger　children　was　a　classmate。

〃They　live　on　Jordan　Street　in　a　house；　and　Laura　has　roller　skates。　　I　don't
see　why　I　can't。〃

This　was　one　of　the　occasions　on　which　Hannah　had　given　vent　to　her
indignation。　　Lise　was　fourteen。　　Her　open　rebellion　was　less　annoying　than
Janet's　silent　reproach；　but　at　least　she　had　something　to　take　hold　of。

〃Well；　Lise；〃　she　said；　shifting　the　saucepan　to　another　part　of　the　stove；　〃I
guess　if　your　father　and　I　had　put　both　you　girls　in　the　mills　and　crowded　into
one　room　and　cooked　in　a　corner；　and　lived　on　onions　and　macaroni；　and　put　four
boarders　each　in　the　other　rooms；　I　guess　we　could　have　had　a　house；　too。　　We
can　start　in　right　now；　if　you're　willing。〃

But　Lise　had　only　looked　darker。

〃I　don't　see　why　father　can't　make　moneyother　men　do。〃

〃Isn't　he　working　as　hard　as　he　can　to　send　you　to　school；　and　give　you　a
chance？〃

〃I　don't　want　that　kind　of　a　chance。　　There's　Sadie　Howard　at　schoolshe　don't
have　to　work。　　She　liked　me　before　she　found　out　where　I　lived。。。〃

There　was　an　element　of　selfishness　in　Hannah's　mania　for　keeping　busy；　for
doing　all　their　housework　and　cooking　herself。　　She　could　not　bear　to　have　her
daughters　interfere；　perhaps　she　did　not　want　to　give　herself　time　to　think。
Her　affection　for　Edward；　such　as　it　was；　her　loyalty　to　him；　was　the　logical
result　of　a　conviction　ingrained　in　early　youth　that　marriage　was　an
indissoluble　bond；　a　point　of　views　once　having　a　religious　sanction；　no　less
powerful　now　thatall　unconsciouslyit　had　deteriorated　into　a　superstition。
Hannah；　being　a　fatalist；　was　not　religious。　　The　beliefs　of　other　days；　when
she　had　donned　her　best　dress　and　gone　to　church　on　Sundays；　had　simply　lapsed
and　lefthabits。　　No　new　beliefs　had　taken　their　place。。。。

Even　after　Janet　and　Lise　had　gone　to　work　the　household　never　seemed　to　gain
that　margin　of　safety　for　which　Hannah　yearned。　　Always；　when　they　were　on　the
verge　of　putting　something　by；　some　untoward　need　or　accident　seemed　to　arise
on　purpose　to　swallow　it　up：　Edward；　for　instance；　had　been　forced　to　buy　a　new
overcoat；　the　linoleum　on　the　dining…room　floor　must　be　renewed；　and　Lise　had
had　a　spell　of　sickness；　losing　her　position　in　a　flower　shop。　　Afterwards；
when　she　became　a　saleslady　in　the　Bagatelle；　that　flamboyant　department　store
in　Faber　Street；　she　earned　four　dollars　and　a　half　a　week。　　Two　of　these　were
supposed　to　go　into　the　common　fund；　but　there　were　clothes　to　buy；　Lise　loved
finery；　and　Hannah　had　not　every　week　the　heart　to　insist。　　Even　when；　on　an
occasional　Saturday　night　the　girl　somewhat　consciously　and　defiantly　flung
down　the　money　on　the　dining…room　table　she　pretended　not　to　notice　it。　　But
Janet；　who　was　earning　six　dollars　as　a　stenographer　in　the　office　of　the
Chippering　Mill；　regularly　gave　half　of　hers。

The　girls　could　have　made　more　money　as　operatives；　but　strangely　enough　in　the
Bumpus　family　social　hopes　were　not　yet　extinct。

Sharply；　rudely；　the　cold　stillness　of　the　winter　mornings　was　broken　by
agitating　waves　of　sound；　penetrating　the　souls　of　sleepers。　　Janet　would　stir；
her　mind　still　lingering　on　some　dream；　soon　to　fade　into　the　inexpressible；　in
which　she　had　been　near　to　the　fulfilment　of　a　heart's　desire。　　Each　morning；
as　the　clamour　grew　louder；　there　was　an　interval　of　bewilderment；　of
revulsion；　until　the　realization　came　of　mill　bells　swinging　in　high　cupolas
above　the　river；one　rousing　another。　　She　could　even　distinguish　the　bells：
the　deep…toned；　penetrating　one　belonged　to　the　Patuxent　Mill；　over　on　the　west
side；　while　the　Arundel　had　a　high；　ominous　reverberation　like　a　fire　bell。
When　at　last　the　clangings　had　ceased　she　would　lie　listening　to　the　overtones
throbbing　in　the　air；　high　and　low；　high　and　low；　lie　shrinking；　awaiting　the
second　summons　that　never　failed　to　terrify；　the　siren　of　the　Chippering　Mill；…
…to　her　the　cry　of　an　insistent；　hungry　monster　demanding　its　daily　food；　the
symbol　of　a　stern；　ugly；　and　unrelenting　necessity。

Beside　her　in　the　bed　she　could　feel　the　soft　body　of　her　younger　sister
cuddling　up　to　her　in　fright。　　In　such　rare　moments　as　this　her　heart　melted
towards　Lise；　and　she　would　fling　a　protecting　arm　about　her。　　A　sense　of
Lise's　need　of　protection　invaded　her；　a　sharp　conviction；　like　a　pang；　that
Lise　was　destined　to　wander：　Janet　was　never　so　conscious　of　the　feeling　as　in
this　dark　hour；　though　it　came　to　her　at　other　times；　when　they　were　not
quarreling。　　Quarreling　seemed　to　be　the　normal　reaction　between　them。

It　was　Janet；　presently；　who　would　get　up；